Nanoparticles for selective death of cancer cells through ferroptosis, method of preparing the same, and use of the nanoparticles

Abstract

Provided are nanoparticles for the selective death of cancer cells through ferroptosis and a method of preparing the same. More particularly, the nanoparticles are in a form in which a cancer cell-targeting hydrogel and iron particles are bound and aggregated, and are selectively accumulated in cancer cells, and thus exhibit an effective cancer cell killing effect through ferroptosis, and accordingly, are expected to exhibit high therapeutic effects due to less side effects.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of treating cancer comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising an active ingredient to a subject in need thereof, wherein the active ingredient is nanoparticles comprising iron and a cancer cell-targeting hydrogel wherein the nanoparticles are in a form in which an iron cation and an anion of the cancer cell-targeting hydrogel are bound and aggregated, wherein the cancer cell-targeting hydrogel selectively binds to a CD44 receptor on surfaces of cancer cells, wherein the nanoparticles themselves are active ingredient to treat the cancer, and wherein the nanoparticles do not contain additional components including a stabilizer and polyethyleneimine (PEI). 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cancer cell-targeting hydrogel is hyaluronic acid. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have a diameter of about 50 nm to about 200 nm. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles induce cancer cell death through ferroptosis. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cancer comprises any one or more selected from the group consisting of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, rectal cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, thyroid cancer, oral cancer, pharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, cervical cancer, brain cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, tongue cancer, uterine cancer, gastric cancer, bone cancer, and blood cancer.